Improvement in sewing-machines



Y C. HODGKINS.

Sewing Machine.

Patented Aug. -20, 1861.

WR N N4 persas. momhognyner. wnmngxm nc.

` UNTTED STATES ATENT Ferca.

C. HODGKINS, 0F MARLBOROUGH, NEW HAMPSHIRE.

IMPROVENI ENT IN SEWING-MACHINES.

Specification forming partof Letters Patent No. 33.05, dated August 20,1861.

To all whom it may concern.-

accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which- Figure l is a back view, partly in section, ofV

a machine with my improvements. Fig. 2 is a side view of the same with the table in section. Fig. 3 is a view of the inner side of the feeding apparatus. Fig. 4 is a perspective view ot' the looper larger than its real size.

Fig. 5 is a view illustrative of the formation of the stitch.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several figures.

My invention consists, irst, in an improved device for operating a rotary feed-ring; secondly, in an improved mode of applying and arranging a rotary looper in connection with an eye-pointed needle to make the chainfstitch.

To enable others skilled in the lart to make and use my invention, I will proceed to describe its construction and operation.

Ais the bed, secured to a stand, B, to which is also firmly secured or with which is cast the stationary arm C, which, besides containing the guides for the needle-slide D, and for the stem F' of the presser F, contains the bearings for the horizontal needle-operating shaft E, which is arranged some distance above the bed-plate. rhis shaft E is furnished at the extremity next the needle-slide with a crank, a, which works in a horizontal groove, a', in the said slide, and so gives it the necessary reciprocating movement to carry the needle through and withdraw it from the cloth.

G is both the looper-shaft and the feed-shalt, arranged in suitable bearings in the stand B in a position immediately below the bed A, nearly horizontal and parallel With the shaft E. This shaft is furnished at the end of the machine farthest from the needle and looper with a spur-gear, G', which is precisely similar in the size and number of its teeth with a a gear, E', on the needleoperating shaft E, and both of these gears gear with an internally-toothed gear, H, attached to or cast with the y-wheel or driving-wheel I of the machine, which is fitted to rotate freely' upon a fixed stud, b, secured in the stationary arm U, and which drives the two shafts E and G at the same speed. By having the teeth ou the interior of the driving-gear H, I am enabled to make that gear' of large size to drive the machine at a high speed, and yet keep the machine within a very small ,compass coin'- pared with what would be necessary if the same speed were obtained from an externallytoothed driving-gear.

J is the feed-ring, fitted to rotate around a flanged circular block, M, which is secured firmly to the stand B by a screw, c.

K L are two nearly semicircular arcs, fitted to the interior of the ring J. These varcs are connected together by a pin-joint, d, on one side of the ring, and on the opposite side .forcing the free end hof this lever outward from the centerl of the ring the arcs are both crowded outward so tightly against therinterior of the ring that they cannot turn within it, and by' a continued pressure against the said end It the lever, the jointed arcs, and the ring J are all caused to turn together on the block M. This action ofthe lever to turn the ring for feeding the cloth is elfected by means of the cam O on the shaft G, and the arcs K L are moved back within the ring, preparatory to the repetitionof the feed movement, by the action o'f the said cam against the point ofthe screw t', which is screwed through a protub'erance,j, on the inner side of the arc L. No obstacle is offered to this reverse movement of the arcs, as the lever N, when not pressed by the cam, tends by its own Weight to free the arcs from the ring, which is prevented from moving` back, both .by the action of the presser and by its own friction, upon its supportingblock M. The length ofthe feed is regulated by turning the screw t', as that regulates the position to which thearcs K L move in abackward direction, their forward movement heilig always to the same position. This feed mechanism is complete without any spring, and` shaft Gr and secured therein by a set-screw or other means. This stem passes through the block M, and consequently through the feedring J. The said looper consists of a simple hook, with a rounded heel, 7, concentric with the stem and shaft, and with a guard, 8, protrudingfrom the heel on the side opposite to the point of the looper, said guard being for the prevention of the loop from getting round the stem. This looper is Very small as compared with other rotary loopers for making the chain-stitch, in order that its point may notin its revolution pass near so low asthe lowest point reached by the eye of a needle of ordinary or less than ordinary7 length, as is illustrated in Fig. 5, in which the needle n is represented in its lowest position and the path ot' the point ot' the looper is represented by a dotted line. This looper enters the loop when its point is directly or almost directly below its axis of rotation, and not when it is above, as is the case with other rotary loopers. This action is illustrated in Fig. 6, which represents the needle in the act ot' rising and the looper in the act of entering the loop. As the ascent ot' the 'needle and rotation of the looper oontinue the loop is extended by the looper and gradually drawn round the heel 7 thereof, which keeps it extended as long as necessary and thenlets it slip off and be drawn up through the cloth by the needle. By constructing, applying, and operating the looper to take the loop near the lowest position ot' its point, and

thus enabling it to be made`of very small size,

less thread is taken through the cloth to form the stitch and there is less to draw back again.. 1n order to allow the point of the looper to What I claim as my invention,and desire to' secure by Letters Patent, is

l. The combination ot' thejointed arcs K L, fitted between the feed-ring Jand its supporting-block M, the lever N and its cam f, and the screw i, the whole arranged'substantially1 as described in relation to each other and to the'cam O on the feed-shaft G, and operating as set forth.

, 2. So arranging and -applying the rotary looper in combination with an eye-pointed needle for making the chain-stitch that the point of the looper enters the loop of the needle-thread while below the axis of rotation ofthe looper, snbstantiallyas herein described, or, in other words,- While on the opposite side ot' said axis to thaton which the cloth is situated.

C. HODGKINS.

V'itnesses:

EDWARD F. ADAMS,

LYSANDER A. ADAMS. 

